News Releases

For Immediate Release

Contact:

Judith Ingram

October 10, 2012

Julia Queen

Christian Hilland

FEC ISSUES ADVISORY OPINION

WASHINGTON –The Federal Election Commission has issued an advisory opinion concerning whether it is permissible for an aspiring multicandidate political committee to make contributions to candidates in excess of $2,500 per election prior to the committee qualifying as a multicandidate committee. The Commission discussed the advisory opinion request at its open meeting on October 4, and held a tally vote on the draft advisory opinion today.

Advisory Opinion 2012-32 (Tea Party Leadership Fund). The Commission concluded that, at this time, theFederal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended, and Commission regulations prohibit the Tea Party Leadership Fund from making contributions over $2,500 per election to federal candidates Sean Bielat and John Raese, and that it currently prohibits Mr. Bielat and Mr. Raese from accepting such contributions.

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is an independent regulatory agency that administers and enforces federal campaign finance laws. The FEC has jurisdiction over the financing of campaigns for the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, the Presidency and the Vice Presidency. Established in 1975, the FEC is composed of six Commissioners who are nominated by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.